Black Holes

A black hole is an area in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. It is believed that the gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. Black holes can be small but some are believed to be millions of times bigger than the sun. Black holes are difficult to see because they do not emit any light. However, scientists can detect them by looking for the X-rays they emit as they suck in gas and dust from nearby stars. One example of a black hole is Cygnus X-1, which was discovered in 1964. It has a mass approximately 15 times that of the sun and is located in the Milky Way. Fun fact: The first black hole ever discovered was Cygnus X-1, but it was first suspected to be a black hole in 1971 by physicist Stephen Hawking. Black holes are not permanent. Over time they can lose mass and eventually disappear.